Yalova Training and Research Hospital Cardiology Doctor İsmail Ünğan suggested “Do not smoke, eat less, walk a lot” against cardiovascular diseases.
Department of Cardiology. Faculty Member Dr. Ünğan made statements due to World Heart Day on September 29. He said that cardiovascular diseases and stroke are the leading causes of death all over the world. Dr. Ünğan stated that cardiovascular diseases and stroke events have increased as a result of increased physical activity limitation with industrialization, increased life stress, unhealthy diet, increase in alcohol and tobacco consumption, chronic diseases exposed with increasing life expectancy, diabetes, blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Explaining that approximately 300 thousand new cardiovascular diseases are diagnosed every year in Turkey and approximately 125 thousand deaths occur, Dr. Ünğan said, “Cardiovascular diseases account for 33-35 percent of all deaths worldwide. High blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels in the blood, insufficient physical activity, increased stress, smoking and alcohol consumption are all risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and stroke. With the increase in life expectancy, especially the increase in the duration of exposure to chronic diseases and these negative behavioral patterns increase the rate of destruction of these diseases day by day, and patients experience serious problems due to this.”
Ways to prevent cardiovascular diseases
Stating that the affiliated members, especially the World Heart Federation and the Society of Cardiology, continue to raise awareness about not getting cardiovascular diseases and not getting the disease again when they catch it, Dr. Ünğan said:
“We physicians are trying to lighten the burden of these diseases as much as possible by reminding our citizens in the field as long as we have the opportunity. Especially in our fight against blood pressure, let's have our blood pressure follow-ups. Even if we are not sick, let's measure our blood pressure at least once a year. If we have a disease, let's use our medicines regularly. Let's be careful about blood pressure, smoking, alcohol consumption and insufficient physical activity. Unbalanced nutrition, which is increasing all over the world, is a serious health problem. This brings many comorbid conditions, especially diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. We need to encourage people to eat a balanced, adequate and healthy diet. We need to eat a Mediterranean-style diet, vegetables, fruit products, nuts, fish products. Apart from that, we need to recommend unprocessed cereals, low-fat dairy products. In addition, we should not use products with saturated fats such as margarine, we should reduce red meat products, we should not consume sugary fruit juice drinks, industrially prepared drinks, energy drinks. We should definitely encourage patients to stop drinking alcohol and smoking. With the increasing stress of life, the busy work schedule causes some restrictions on healthy living. Nevertheless, we still need to fulfill our physical activity by doing a light exercise of moderate difficulty 5 days a week whenever we have the opportunity, that is, a medium-paced walk, if possible, walking on flat ground, not up the ramp.”
Changing behavioral patterns can lead to an 80 percent reduction in diseases
Dr. Ünğan stated that the rate of cardiovascular diseases is reduced by changing behavioral patterns and said, “Alcohol, cigarette consumption, irregular, unbalanced diet, lack of physical activity, being under psychosocial stress. If we reduce these with sufficient knowledge and experience, or bring them to the level of non-existence as much as possible, we can achieve a reduction of approximately 80 percent in the chronic diseases we call cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Because unfortunately, it is a condition that is a combination of chronic diseases, which we call metabolic syndrome, with increasing frequency worldwide and in our country. This complex disease definition, which manifests itself with increasing weight, unfortunately predisposes us to many diseases together with cardiovascular diseases. I tell my patients this, with 3 suggestions: don't smoke, eat less, walk a lot. As long as we do this, our heart health will be better.”
Dr. Ünğan added that the Ministry of Health wants to raise awareness this year with the slogan “You first, your heart first, be the hero of your heart, take action”.
İHA Haber Kodu: 20240929AW297402